Double Trouble
by Ice-Princess-Amber
Summary: A group called the Night Raiders fights to keep themselves alive.
1. Enter the Night Raiders....

Author's Note: This is my first story EVER! I decided not to go and rewrite it, because I like seeing how I evolved. Read and review if you like. This story is also the basis for my other 5 or so Nightworld fics that will be psoted.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Nightworld, and if I did, I would not be sitting here wasting the power.  
  
Double-Trouble  
  
Tyrna awoke to the sun streaming in her eyes. "I wish it was night-time," she whined as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her parents were gone for the weekend, and her brother was at a friend's house until Monday morning. But it was Friday afternoon, and she had until Sunday night to be with her friends. "This is going to be a fun weekend. But I'd better call Angel and see what she and Corinne want to do. I hope they got in touch with the guys." She sat up in bed slid smoothly to the floor. Picking up a brush from the nearby table, she began to brush her long, wavy, raven-black hair. As she looked into the mirror, two emerald-green eyes stared back at her, assessing her reflection. "Perfect." She reached for the phone and quickly dialed her best friend, Corinne's, phone number.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello Corinne, this is Tyrna. Did you and Angel get hold of the others?"  
  
"Of course we did. Everyone is already at her house. I was going to call you and see when you thought you would get up. It's almost six o'clock," Corinne complained in a So what's your excuse this time? voice.  
  
"Last night wore me out. I'm glad we didn't have school today, or else I wouldn't have gone. It's been so long since we had fun like that."  
  
"Yeah, tell me about it. So listen, if you want to have even more fun, meet us at Angel's house in fifteen minutes. We'll be waiting!" Tyrna ran for her bag and then was out the door, heading for Angel's house.  
  
*  
  
* *  
  
When she arrived she was ushered into the living room where the others were already assembled. There was elegant Angel, curly, light-brown hair pulled into a French braid and her intelligent, ever-changing eyes sweeping over the group. It was Angel who led this group, or Circle, as they called it. Seated on her right was Alex. He was tall, strong, and outspoken, and dirty- blonde hair accented his sky-blue eyes. Alex was one of Angel's second-in- command. Angel's other second sat on her left. Corinne was tall, thin, and incredibly strong. Short, curly red hair hung loose around her face to her shoulders, and her brown eyes glittered as she gazed at the boy sitting next to her. Tyrna recognized him as Alan. Although shorter than everyone else, his agility and speed made up for it. He was extremely thin, but his muscular legs seemed twice the size of anyone his weight. He looked back at Corinne with deep affection in his amber eyes, his tousled, dirty-blonde hair making him look eight years old. To Alan's left sat his older brother, Matt. He was the oldest besides Alex, and his gray eyes were of someone who had seen it all. His light-brown hair was short, but reminded you of someone who had just gotten out of bed. Tyrna resisted the urge to brush a strand of it out of his eyes. To Alex's right sat John and Peter. John was one of the strongest people physically of the group, on account of he had the body of a football player. His dark-brown eyes perfectly matched his dark-brown hair. Peter was one of the tallest in the group, and one of the newest. His orange hair was close-cropped, and clashed with his hazel eyes. This was their circle of friends, whom they all depended on. It was Angel who spoke first.  
  
"I hope you all had a pleasant sleep. Even though some of us slept longer than others." She looked right at Tyrna, who looked away, and Matt blushed, knowing that he too had slept in.  
  
"Anyway. Let's get down to business. It'll be getting dark in an hour, and we have to be ready." Corinne snapped everyone into attention.  
  
"Corinne's right. We have to be ready tonight. The meeting is already set up. At eight o'clock we meet them in the woods. And who knows, they might bring knives and guns!" Alex jeered. At his words the entire group burst out laughing.  
  
"Stupid thugs, thinking they can mess with us. We'll show them who rules these streets and the night!" Tyrna cheered, all too happy to be involved in the game.  
  
"Yeah, they haven't got a prayer," Alan added, smiling to himself. He always thought it was a challenge to beat the fastest gang member they ran into.  
  
"We'll show them. Let's just see how they like playing by our rules," John spoke up. Angel then clapped her hands for attention. The talk immediately stopped.  
  
"I'm glad you're all excited about tonight. And guess what? I found out the names of some of the people we'll be playing with. One of them is Evan. The other is Kyle. I'm sure that Tyrna and Corinne will want those two?" Tyrna and Corinne exchanged evil smiles with one another.  
  
'Revenge at last!' they both thought.  
  
"Let's get started before it gets too dark and all the creepy creatures come out!" Peter teased as the group jumped up and headed out the door. Soon they had entered the woods next to Angel's house. They laughed as they ran to the meeting place for their "game".  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
At exactly eight o'clock the rival gang walked into a clearing out in the middle of nowhere. They pulled their leather jackets tight around them. It was so cold in the woods at night. The girls of the gang stood in the bushes, safe from harm. The leader, a stocky boy of eighteen, looked at the time on his watch. "I guess they aren't coming." he said to the others, who laughed.  
  
"I guess they realized the Aces really are the best!" said Evan.  
  
"Let's leave now and go rob some liquor store or something. They're never going to come, Greg." said Kyle. It was then that a lone figure walked into the clearing out of nowhere. Her black skirt swished around her knees as she walked toward the group. She approached Greg and spoke to him.  
  
"You are Greg, the leader of the Aces?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah that's me. And who are you?" he replied.  
  
"My name is Angel, and I lead the Night Raiders." Angel said.  
  
"Well it looks like the rest of your group deserted you, babe. You're all by your pretty, little self." Greg said, as he and his group laughed at this lone girl who would dare challenge them.  
  
"Foolish human. Just because you can't see, doesn't mean they're not there." so saying this, she snapped her fingers once. That one snap was enough to do it. Without the other group having time to say anything, the battle exploded around them.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Corinne and Alan leaped out of the bushes, followed by John and Peter on the other side. Tyrna and Matt jumped down from a tree directly behind the gang. Alex jumped down to stand next to Angel. To the Aces, it seemed as if they had just appeared from nowhere. Alex was the one who spoke next.  
  
"Surprise! Now we have a little game for you guys. Nothing fancy. The winners get to live, and the losers... Well you can guess the rest. Just a few rules though. No leaving the woods. Rule two- No crying. And rule three- The losers die very painful deaths." he explained. The resounding laughter from Angel's group made even Evan and Kyle shudder.  
  
"Fine. We'll play by your rules. But here are our rules. No touching our girls. And by the way, what weapons can we use?" Greg asked, as he stared at Angel. He was fascinated that her eyes seemed to be a different color every minute. When he had first looked at her, they had been brown. Now in the fading sunlight, they took on a royal-blue color. He would make sure to spare her life when they won.  
  
"Weapons? You use weapons? How pitiful." John said.  
  
"Strange, strange humans." Tyrna and Corinne said at the same time.  
  
"Well what do you use to fight? You can't beat any gang barehanded." Shawn said. He looked at this group in wonder and pity. They would never defeat the Aces if they didn't use weapons.  
  
"We don't need to use weapons. We've always used things more... Natural." Matt said, as he smiled to himself. Corinne let loose a bout of maniacal laughter. Shawn shuddered.  
  
"Well this is great and all, but can we get on with it?" Evan said, eager to take this gang down once and for all. But something still bothered him. He had heard stories about the Night Raiders. Stories that said they played differently. Stories that they weren't too merciful. But since he wasn't merciful either, it didn't bother him too much.  
  
"Fine. If that is your wish. You will have five minutes to either get away or kill us. If you succeed, we will yield. If not, you won't live to tell what you saw." Alex said, smiling evilly.  
  
"Before we begin, I'll introduce my group and you will do the same for yours. We have an even number and we'll pair off. Fair?" Angel asked, as she looked straight at Greg.  
  
"That sounds fine." he said, as he looked at her now dark-green eyes.  
  
"Since I am leader, I'll take on you. One of my seconds, Alex, will take on yours. Where is your second?" Angel said.  
  
"Shawn is my second." said Greg, as a tall boy of seventeen stood next to him. His coppery hair reflected the last rays of the dying sun. "Who will take on Kyle?" Greg asked the group. No one in the other group moved, and Kyle looked pleased. They must know how tough he was.  
  
"I'll take him." came a female voice. Kyle turned to see Corinne standing there.  
  
"It's nice to see you again, Corinne. I promise you a quick death." he said, looking at her with pity. It would take more than his ex- girlfriend to bring him down.  
  
"And I promise you a slow, painful one." she replied, as Alan grinned at her. She would tear him limb from limb, and he almost felt sorry for Kyle. Almost.  
  
"Who do I get the pleasure of killing?" Evan asked. He was grinning at the others, but a second later, he almost choked. Tyrna stood before him looking like a revenging goddess. Her thin, strong body seemed to glide as she moved. He hadn't seen her since the summer. Wow, she was pretty. But he felt sorry for her. He knew that there was no way she would kill him. She was just too nice.  
  
"It'll be my pleasure to bring you down, Evan." Tyrna said, as she looked at him with hatred. He would regret the day when he had first crossed her path.  
  
"I want the fastest one of your gang." came Alan's voice. A tall, lanky, fifteen year-old stepped out.  
  
"My name is Pat. But they call me Speedy. You think you can out-run me, little boy?" Pat asked, eying the rival member with distrust.  
  
"I'll not only outrun you, I'll run circles around you until I've dug your grave." Alan replied, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I've got a brother team of Mike and Ike. Who wants them?" Greg asked, as a pair of football players stepped to the front. John and Peter immediately volunteered.  
  
"Finally, I have Anthony left. But I warn you. Even though he isn't the leader, he's the oldest and the most experienced. Who wants to take him on?" Greg asked, as the nineteen year-old wrestler came to stand next to him. There was only one person left to take Anthony. The tall, thin kid that was standing next to Tyrna. He didn't have a prayer.  
  
"He's all mine." Matt said, as he faced his opponent. He didn't want to laugh at the poor kid, but it was a shame to have to kill him.  
  
"Then that settles it. We'll now begin. You have five minutes. Ready? Go!" Angel yelled, as the Aces pulled their guns on the Night Raiders. They just laughed.  
  
"You'd think these humans would learn that it doesn't pay to use these things!" John said, as he stared at the two boys in front of him and sent a smile to Peter, who nodded.  
  
"Fire!" came Greg's simple command. His group pulled the triggers, and the resounding noise was deafening.  
  
Corinne dodged, and a bullet went whistling past her ear. Alan ducked while one flew over his head. John and Peter simply stood there as the bullets hit them in the shoulders. Matt stepped smoothly out of the way, and Alex jumped over Shawn's head and landed behind him. Tyrna dodged and then kicked the gun from Evan's hand. It was then that they heard Angel scream.  
  
"You idiot! You shot a hole in my new suede blouse!" she screamed at Greg. There was a large hole right in the middle of the blouse. Blood dripped from the hole in Angel, but she paid it little mind. "You are going to regret doing that." she said coldly. Greg and the rest of his group dropped their guns in astonishment. They had never seen anything like this. She wasn't screaming in pain, she was... Well... Hissing in anger. They forgot their fearlessness and ran screaming into the woods.  
  
"Head for the road!" Greg shouted, as they left the Night Raiders far behind.  
  
"Wait a minute, they aren't supposed to be near the road. That's cheating. Attack!" Alex yelled, as they took off after the Aces.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Greg ran fast, but apparently not fast enough. He stopped by a big tree to catch his breath. Angel stepped out calmly from the woods. And she wasn't even breathing hard. "I told you that you would pay for ruining my blouse." she said, as she slapped him across the face. He flew back against the tree. As he looked at her, he noticed a change, something about her was different. Her mouth. She had long, pointy canine teeth that slightly indented her lower lip. She smiled at him as she came towards him.  
  
"What are you?!" he cried, as she looked deep into his eyes.  
  
"Apparently not human." she said, as she sank her teeth into his throat. Warm blood poured down her throat as she drank deeply. She wondered how the others were doing.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Alex jumped from branch to branch, hunting for Shawn. He found him in a small clearing, looking around like a caged animal. Waiting until he was directly below him, Alex jumped and landed on top of him. Shawn had time to see only the long canines as his world exploded in pain and darkness.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Not far from Alex, John and Peter had cornered Dumb and Dumber, who unloaded a few more bullets into them. They merely smiled, showing two pairs of pointy canines at their opponents. The brothers immediately understood that their lives were over as John and Peter advanced on them hungrily.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
The boy they called Speedy was still running when he heard a sound behind him. He kept running, afraid of what would happen if he stopped. A small figure broke through the trees and barreled into him. "Caught you!" said Alan, as he smiled at Pat. All Pat could see were the long, sharp canines as Alan bent his head and began to drink.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Kyle had run for a long time before he finally stopped and looked behind him. He saw no one. With a sigh he turned back around- and almost stopped breathing. Corinne sat on the ground a few feet in front of him. She rose in one fluid motion and walked over to him. "I missed you, Kyle." she purred, as she stroked his face with her hand. "I always wanted to thank you for giving me a chance to... Find my inner self." she finished.  
  
"Your inner self is a demon!" Kyle said to her shaking off her hand.  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere." Corinne said, as she showed Kyle her teeth. His eyes widened as he realized her canines were twice as long as they should be, and as sharp as small needles. She grabbed him and bit into his neck. He didn't even have time to scream.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Anthony walked warily about the woods. He didn't want to meet that kid Matt. After the gun thing he wasn't sure that he could kill him as easily.  
  
He walked until he heard a rustling in the bushes. Thinking it was one of the Aces, he called out. "It's just me Anthony." Expecting a reply, he waited. A lone figure stepped out and spoke to him.  
  
"You know, if I were you, I wouldn't have identified myself. I'm still trying to figure out how you lived this long by being so stupid." Matt said, advancing on the boy.  
  
"I'm a whole lot older than you, so that might say something of my intelligence." Anthony replied.  
  
"I think I'm just a little older than you. So if I were you, I'd be frightened." said Matt.  
  
"I don't have anything to be frightened of." came Anthony's simple reply. Matt smiled at him, showing Anthony a pair of canines designed to puncture a person's throat cleanly and effectively.  
  
"Now you do." Matt said, jumping on top of him. A few seconds was all it took and then he was feeling the warm blood coarse down his throat.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Evan didn't know what had happened to the other Aces. He didn't know what had happened to Tyrna. All he knew was that he was scared. Tyrna had changed! She was no longer the innocent girl he had tortured last year. A rustling sound came from the bushes, and he jumped ten feet. A little chipmunk came out, saw him, and ran away. "Stupid animal. I'm much smarter than you. I can't believe you're scared of me." he said. Just then, a voice came seemingly from nowhere.  
  
"I don't think it was scared of you, Evan. I think it was scared of me." it said. Evan looked frantically around for the voice, but saw no one. Until Tyrna landed directly in front of him after jumping from a nearby tree. Evan screamed!  
  
"What the hell are you?! You aren't human!" he yelled.  
  
"You're right, we aren't. You know, I never realized how smart you are." she replied sarcastically. She knocked him back against a tree by simply pushing him back. She was strong, even for a girl. "This time Evan, I'll be the one who'll do the torturing." she said, as she felt her canines extend. Suddenly Evan understood. He was going to die! As he gazed at her needle-sharp teeth he tried one last defense.  
  
"Go to hell." he said. She merely smiled at him.  
  
"Been there. Done that." Tyrna said, as she bent down. Evan screamed as he felt the pain of her teeth in his neck. Then all he could see, was darkness.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Angel stepped into the clearing and waited for the others to get there. She didn't have to wait long. Alex sauntered out of the woods, followed by John and Peter. Alan and Corinne ran out, racing each other again. Matt and Tyrna walked side by side, debating about the Aces. Angel clapped for attention. "I think we should get the others and go back to my house." she said, as Alex, John, and Peter went into the bushes. They emerged with eight terrified girls. Dragging the bound girls, they walked back to Angel's house. They reached the house in a few minutes and flung the girls inside. One of them, Natalie, spoke to Angel.  
  
"You're going to be in big trouble. You'll never get away with this. The police will find their headless bodies." she said angrily.  
  
"Headless bodies? What headless bodies?" Angel asked her. The Night Raiders burst out into hysterical laughter. "Oh those headless bodies! Don't worry. They're in a safe place where no one will disturb them, or their heads." Angel finished, as the laughter died down.  
  
"So what are you going to do with us? Give us to the men?" A girl named Samantha asked.  
  
"Hell no! These men belong to us!" Corinne said, putting a possessive hand on Alan's shoulder. Alan just smiled.  
  
"You can't kill us in here. Your parents won't allow it." One of them, Rachel, said.  
  
"My parents are dead. I inherited this house from them. And even if they were alive, I can assure you that we would still be doing this.  
  
"Your parents are dead? How?" Natalie asked.  
  
"They were killed two years ago by Hunters. Vampire Hunters." Angel replied.  
  
"Wait a minute! That's impossible! There are no such things as vam..." Samantha's voice trailed off as the girls saw that all the Night Raiders had long, sharp fangs. They were vampires!  
  
"What's your name? So we can tell those Hunters that they forgot one." Natalie asked, thinking they would get out of there.  
  
"My name is Angel. Angel Redfern. And you won't live long enough to even scream." Angel told her. With that, she dove on Natalie. The others picked their own girls. In a matter of minutes, eight dry bodies lay before them. Each of them carried a girl to the edge of a ravine in the woods, and threw her off. Back at Angel's, they sat down to talk.  
  
"Aaahh. There's nothing like the thrill of the hunt late on a Friday night to make your blood stir." Alex said.  
  
"Tell me about it. But those guys were about as spineless as-" Corinne started to say.  
  
"Seahorses?" Alan asked, looking at his brother. Tyrna stepped behind him and wacked him on the head. She then sat down next to Matt.  
  
"Next time I'll use a frying pan. One with a wooden handle!" she said, as Matt put his arm around her.  
  
"Soulmates." Alan said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Oh. So having a soulmate is so bad, huh? Thanks!" Corinne said, looking upset.  
  
"No. I mean... Well... Never mind." he said, as Corinne laid her head on his shoulder. Alan just sighed.  
  
"Getting back to business. What's on tomorrow's agenda?" Alex asked.  
  
"How about sleep?" Matt asked, as the rest of the group groaned, and Tyrna sent him a black look.  
  
"How about a sleep-over for tonight. I mean, it's almost twelve o'clock. The dead are waking up right now." Peter said.  
  
"And the undead are walking the streets right now." John said.  
  
"And our two dead-heads need to quit with the humor. Or un-humor." Alex said.  
  
"All right. Quit it, you three. We should head around town tomorrow and see if anyone else wants to take us on." Angel said.  
  
"I still don't know why these stupid humans want to fight us. I mean guns? You'd think that after the first six times, they would get it." John said.  
  
"Just remember, John. No one survives our fights, so they can't go back and tell everyone else. And don't forget, you used to be human." Corinne said.  
  
"Yeah we know. Just because you, Angel, Tyrna, Alan, and Matt are lamia, you think you're better." Peter said.  
  
"We don't think, we know." Angel said, glaring at him. Peter let the subject drop. He knew it wasn't wise to get Angel mad. She could just as soon stake him before he knew what hit him. But he loved her. But did she love him? No! Peter had thought that maybe she was his soulmate, but whenever he touched her, nothing happened. Except that Angel would hit him occasionally. He wanted Angel to love him, but since he knew it was impossible, he just followed her extremely loyally. No one messed with any Night Raider and lived to see the next sunrise! 


	2. Minor histories, a tad boring...

Disclaimer: I still don't own the Nightworld. Life sux, don't it?  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
It was two o'clock in the morning, and they were all up talking. Everyone except Tyrna and Matt. They had tried to stay awake, but since they knew there would be a wake-up call at eight a.m., they finally fell asleep. "What wimps. Can't even stay awake to hear the plans for tomorrow." Corinne said, as she gazed at the two sleeping forms. Tyrna had curled up on her side and laid her head on Matt's shoulder. Matt lay ram-rod straight, and only his head was turned facing Tyrna. Both of them were smiling in their sleep.  
  
"This would be a good time to talk about them behind their backs." Alan said, looking at Corinne and Angel with a smirk.  
  
"Of course it would, Alan. But then you'd wake up tomorrow in five pieces." came a sleepy voice.  
  
"Hey! Who said that?" Alan asked, looking around. Corinne pointed to Tyrna. Both of her eyes were open, and she was staring directly at him.  
  
"You keep forgetting what a light sleeper I am. And if I were you, I'd keep the gossip to yourself." Tyrna said, as she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.  
  
"I've got to learn to keep my mouth shut." Alan said.  
  
"Of course you do. But we already knew that." Angel replied.  
  
"Back to the plans for tomorrow. We can go down Main Street and see if anyone openly challenges us." Alex said.  
  
"Do you think that big gangs are just going to waltz up and challenge us in broad daylight? Come on! Not even humans are that stupid." said Angel.  
  
"That's the way it was done where I used to live." retorted Alex, annoyed that his idea had been turned down.  
  
"This isn't where you used to live. This is our territory. And don't forget. You now play by a new set of laws. Night World Laws." Corinne said, as she felt her muscles twitch with anticipation. She would love to stake Alex and be done with him. She didn't approve of the way he had come to the group and almost taken over as leader. Even though he had been leader of a human gang, he had no right to come in and take over a vampire gang. Especially if a lamia was running it!  
  
"All right everyone, just settle down. Don't do anything stupid." John said, as he nervously watched Corinne and Alex. John was the mediator of the group. He had been getting hazed by a vicious gang in his school. He decided to go watch them be beat by the Night Raiders. That was where he had made his first mistake. He had seen Tyrna drink a boy's blood. The next day at school, he was terrified to go near her. That day, she invited him to her house. Thinking she would explain what had happened the previous night, he went. That was his second, and last mistake as a human. She had cornered him and bit into his neck. Then he had been forced to drink her blood. He woke up a few days later to find her and Matt looking at him. It was then that he realized what had happened. She had turned him into one of them! At first he hated it, but soon he got used to the fact that he was a vampire. Tyrna had made it easy for him by getting him into the Night Raiders. They had been friends ever since. That was a year ago, and John never forgot that it was stupidity that made him what he was. But the truth was, he no longer cared how and why it had been done. Only that it had been done. John in turn had found a good friend of his, Peter, and made him a vampire too. Peter was still grateful to him for doing it.  
  
"Fine. Let's just forget about it and get some sleep. It's three in the morning and we have to be up in five hours." Peter said, as he and the others lay down and were soon asleep. All of them except Alex. He was still remembering how he had come to be in this Circle. And the memory wasn't always pleasant. Two years ago he had been the leader of the Diablos, a gang that specialized in eliminating other gangs. When Alex heard that the Night Raiders also specialized in this field, he had challenged them. They had met in a rock quarry. It was there that he first laid eyes on Angel. She was breathtaking! The way she moved, she reminded him of a cat. A very deadly cat. When her group had attacked, she chased him to a large space near a couple of boulders. He had fought her, but she still won. When Alex saw that she was a vampire, he asked her to make him one. She had agreed. When he woke up a few days later, she was there, looking like a real angel. Angel had then brought him into the group. He was the first made-vampire in the Circle, and the others didn't trust him at first. Only Angel and Tyrna had been nice enough to talk to him. But Alex soon realized that Tyrna was like that with anyone she met who was new, be they vampire, human, or whatever. Only by proving himself in the fights with other gangs had he been accepted into the group. Even though he knew that everyone still didn't trust him. Corinne still didn't like him very much. And Matt had told him that if he hurt Tyrna in any way, he would be looking at the sharp end of a stake. That was when Alex found out about the soulmate principle. That everyone everywhere has another person that's destined for them. Alan and Corinne protected each other with a fierce loyalty, so it wasn't hard to tell who their soulmates were. By the way that Matt and Tyrna fought for each other, it wasn't hard to tell about them either. Alex wished that Angel was his soulmate, but since he knew it wasn't true, he listened to whatever she had to say and did whatever she ordered. That was the way the Night Raiders survived. They fought for each other, no matter what. Something no human gang has ever done. 


	3. Another short, slightly boring chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own the names Redfern, DesCourdes, Goddard, Rasmussen, Thierry or any other names of random L.J. Smith Nightworlders/Humans. I DO own the Night Raiders and their respective histories  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Angel awoke promptly at eight o'clock. She needed no alarm to tell her when to get up. Rolling onto her side, she looked at the rest of the group. Alan and Corinne had curled up with their heads on each other's shoulders. Matt and Tyrna hadn't changed position. Alex slept near Angel, his head resting on his arms. John was asleep sitting up against the wall. Peter had dozed off with his head on the couch and the rest of him on the floor. Angel waited a few minutes longer before whispering "Tyrna, it's time to get up." she said.  
  
"It's 8:05. You let us sleep in today." Tyrna responded, as she did a cat-stretch and sat up. She gently shook Matt awake.  
  
"It's too early." Matt complained, looking at her.  
  
"I know, but everyone has to get up now anyway." she replied.  
  
"I'm getting up. I'm getting up." he said, stretching.  
  
"Corinne and Alan. Wake up, lovebirds." Angel said, as she shook those two awake.  
  
"I will kill you later. Right now the only thing I want to do is-" Corinne started to say.  
  
"Eat?" Alan asked, with a smile on his face. Corinne started to say something back to him, but stopped and smiled instead.  
  
"I'm up now. Not that I could sleep with all the talking." Alex replied, as he stretched and stood up.  
  
"John and Peter. Wake up before we leave you here." said Angel, as John awoke with a start and Peter rubbed his eyes.  
  
"We're getting up. Don't worry." John said, as he stood up. Corinne walked out of the room and returned a moment later. In her hands she held a metal frying pan with a wooden handle.  
  
"I've got the frying pan. Who's not awake yet?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear. Alan sprang up and backed away. Peter got up hastily and John left the room. Only Matt stayed on the floor. Tyrna pulled him to his feet. He merely smiled at Corinne with a You wouldn't have hit me anyway look. Tyrna wacked him on the shoulder. He held his shoulder and smiled at her. She blushed and turned away slightly. Corinne shook her head. In all the years that she had known the Rasmussen brothers, they never failed to make her laugh. It had been three years ago, when Angel's parent's were still alive. Corinne had liked Raven and Pierce Redfern. They always treated their daughter like an adult. Corinne's parents were Lily and James DesCourdes, another lamia family. Although they didn't have quite the reputation that the Redfern's did. Corinne and Angel had gone on hunts together and they attended the same school. That was where they had met Tyrna. She had been thirteen at the time. A quiet, shy girl with big, wondering eyes. Corinne and Angel had paid little attention to her. That was before they knew who and what she was. A fight had been called, and Corinne and Angel wanted to watch the fun. A large girl had stepped into the ring of students and a smaller girl had been shoved in by her friends. Angel had felt sorry for the little girl, who wouldn't be a match for the human she was fighting. Then things had changed. When the bigger girl, named Kelly, grabbed the little one, she merely planted her feet and refused to budge. Kelly then tried to hit her in the face. The girl simply grabbed Kelly's hand and twisted it hard and fast. Kelly went down with a broken wrist. When Kelly's friend, Kim, went to beat the girl up, she also had a hard time. The young girl jumped over Kim's head and landed behind her. Then she had hissed, showing off a pair of teeth that Angel recognized as the beginnings of a vampire's long canines. Before the girl could do anything, Angel and Corinne grabbed her and dragged her away. Once alone, they asked for her name. She said it was Tyrna Goddard. Angel told her that her name was Redfern.  
  
"Why would a powerful Redfern like yourself take any interest in me?" Tyrna had asked. Angel and Corinne smiled at each other, knowing they had found another lamia. Tyrna had introduced them to her friends, Matt and Alan Rasmussen. The boys were also lamia, and they and Tyrna hung out together.  
  
"And we also hunt together sometimes too." Alan had said. Corinne had taken an instant liking in Alan. On their first hunt together, they had touched hands. The electricity that had coursed through them told them instantly that they were soulmates. They all found out later that Matt and Tyrna were soulmates when Tyrna had hugged Matt goodbye after a long and fruitful hunt. Matt hadn't been surprised by this because he had liked Tyrna from the first time he had met her.  
  
Four years had passed since Matt and Alan first met Tyrna. They had lived in the area all their life. Their parents let them have fun with all the humans in the town. Then it was rumored that a Redfern family had moved in. The Rasmussen family decided to let them take control, lest there be a fight.  
  
In school the next day, Matt and Alan saw Tyrna. Knowing that she was one of them, they thought she was a Redfern. Matt had caught up to her after school and asked her what her last name was. She had said Goddard. Thinking that he had made a mistake and that she was a human, he turned to go.  
  
"Wait. Are you one of the Redferns?" she had asked.  
  
"No. Do you know who is?" he had replied. She had said she didn't. When they got home, Matt told his parents about the girl he had met. Jade and Val Rasmusen decided to meet with the Goddards. The next night, Ash and Kestrel had shown up, bringing their two children, Tyrna and Thierry. Thierry had stayed to himself, but Tyrna had gone with the boys when they went out hunting. With her help, they brought down a biker and a rollerblader. Back at their house, the parents talked and soon became like old friends. That was the history of the group, from family to family, and made-vampire to made-vampire. 


	4. Plot twist, or twisted plot?

Disclaimer: I don't own the names Redfern, DesCourdes, Goddard, Rasmussen, Thierry or any other names of random L.J. Smith Nightworlders/Humans. I DO own the Night Raiders and their respective histories  
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The group walked out of Angel's house and headed for Main Street. They walked the back alleys, looking for any group that might have the guts to come and challenge them. They had learned early on that only in the most remote places of the streets, did the gangs challenge each other. Only one small group had the nerve to come up to them. This gang consisted of four people. One tall, wiry girl, and three athletic boys. The girl looked no older than fifteen. The boys probably ranged in age from fifteen to twenty. The oldest one stepped forward. "Are you the Night Raiders?" he asked, not taking his eyes from them.  
  
"Who wants to know?" Angel replied, fixing her gaze on him.  
  
"My name is Quinn. This is my group, The Hunters." Quinn replied.  
  
"My name is Angel. And we are the group of whom you speak." she said.  
  
"I have a little proposition for you. What do you say to a friendly game of "chase"?" asked Quinn, as his group snickered. The Night Raiders just looked knowingly at one another.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea. How about Blydenburgh Park? No one goes there. It's perfect for the "game"." Alex said.  
  
"The park. Sounds great." said the girl, Vanessa.  
  
"Good. We'll meet you there tomorrow night at eight?" Angel asked the other group.  
  
"Why wait until tomorrow. Why not tonight?" said another boy, Hugh.  
  
"All right, have it your way. Tonight at eight." said Alex.  
  
"See you there." Quinn said, as he and his group walked off laughing.  
  
"What was that all about?" Corinne asked, puzzled by this group.  
  
"I've never heard of them." Alan chimed in.  
  
"They're probably new." Peter said.  
  
"Then how could they know about us so fast?" Matt asked, thinking it out.  
  
"Word gets around. Come on guys, there's nothing to worry about." Alex said, reassuring the others.  
  
"Alex is right. Let's get back to Angel's and start to get ready. We only have eleven hours to prepare." John said, as he started to walk back. Only the lamia were still worried about this group. And what a strange name. The Hunters?  
  
* * *  
  
Back at Angel's, they did exercises to get them ready. Tyrna practiced her karate with a swinging punch-bag. Angel and Corinne staff fought for fun.  
  
Alex raced Alan up and down the street, not even coming close to beating him. John and Peter practiced sword-fighting with metal swords. Matt practiced his Jiu-Jitsu on a sack dummy. They occasionally took breaks to eat, relax, and talk. All too soon it was 7:30. They ran through the woods to their usual spot. This would prove to be an interesting fight.  
  
* * *  
  
When the Night Raiders got there, The Hunters were already assembled. Pairing off was useless. The other grouped was short four people. "I see you're right on time." Quinn said.  
  
"Of course we are." Angel replied.  
  
"We'll play until one entire group is wiped out." Vanessa said, smiling broadly.  
  
"Sounds good to us." Alex replied, not the least bit worried.  
  
"Are you ready?" asked Neil, another Hunter.  
  
"As ready as you are." Corinne said.  
  
"I don't think so. Get them!" Quinn shouted to his group. They brandished their weapons. But instead of pulling out guns, they pulled out... Stakes!  
  
"We are in deep trouble." John said, looking at the other group in horror.  
  
"These are much more effective for fighting your kind, don't you agree?" Hugh asked, as he brandished the stake like an expert.  
  
"So little Redfern, we meet again." Quinn said, as he smiled at Angel.  
  
"You!" was all Angel said.  
  
"Um. Would someone care to explain what the hell is going on?" Alex yelled, as he backed away from the other group.  
  
"These guys are real Hunters! Real vampire Hunters to be exact!" Corinne shouted, shifting into a fighting position.  
  
"That's right. And there's nothing you can do to stop us from killing all of you!" Neil said.  
  
"How do these guys know you, Angel?" Peter asked.  
  
"These are the dirty vermin who killed my parents!" Angel responded, locking her gaze on to Quinn. She still remembered that night all too well. She had been sitting in the her room, watching T.V. Her parents had been in the kitchen talking. The doorbell had rung. Pierce had gone to answer it, and Angel had snuck to the top of the stairs to see who it was. Hiding behind a couch is what probably saved her life. A young man had been at the door.  
  
"Is this the Redfern residence?" he had asked.  
  
"Why yes, it is." replied Angel's father.  
  
"Good, because I have something to show you." the young man replied.  
  
"And what would that be?" her father had asked.  
  
"This!" the man replied. He pulled a stake from under his coat and stabbed Pierce Redfern directly in the heart. Raven had screamed as two more Hunters came in. Angel's mother had put up a good fight, but the other two held her down while the first man staked her as well. Angel's last vision of her mother was of her looking at Angel and mouthing the word: RUN! Angel dove out a window and hit the ground running. She ran through the park and didn't stop until she reached Corinne's house. Sobbing uncontrollably, she told Corinne and her parents everything. At the funeral, she had seen the man who had killed her parents. He smiled an evil- looking smile that told her he would be back for her. Angel in the mean time, had vowed revenge.  
  
"These guys killed your parents?!" Alan asked in astonishment. That meant they were dealing with practiced Hunters.  
  
"Well they won't get away with it. If you won't avenge your parents now, then I will!" Alex said, as he leapt for Quinn's throat. BIG mistake!  
  
Quinn waited until Alex was almost on top of him, then drove the stake through his chest. It cut almost to his lungs, but stopped before it did. Alex gasped and fell to the ground, writhing in pain.  
  
"You bastard, you killed him! You won't get away with this! ATTACK!" Angel screamed as her group took on the Hunters.  
  
"You think you can beat me? I don't think so." Vanessa said, as Tyrna and Matt circled her. Suddenly Tyrna jumped right in front of her, and Matt ran up behind her. But Vanessa knew this trick. With a swift kick, she knocked Tyrna to the ground. Before Matt could react she turned and plunged the stake deep into his shoulder, dislocating the bone. He screamed in pain. But Vanessa judged her victory too quickly. While she was bent over Matt, Tyrna got up and jumped on her back. The terrified girl tried to stake her, but Tyrna just grabbed the weapon and flung it aside.  
  
"You know, you shouldn't play with pointy sticks. You could put someone's eye out." she hissed into Vanessa's ear. Tyrna then proceeded to rip the little vermin's throat out. When she was sure that she was dead, she checked on Matt. His shoulder was bleeding, but at least Vanessa had pulled the stake out. Kneeling by his side, she cradled his head in her lap. The girl responsible might be dead, but her group members were not. Tyrna hissed in anger. Let anyone touch Matt again, and they would be in for a short existence. In the mean time, Alan and Corinne were busy fighting Hugh. When Corinne lunged at him, he grabbed her by the hair and pulled. She screamed as she felt the bite of wood on her neck. He was holding a stake to her throat!  
  
"Come and get me, little boy. If you don't mind risking your girlfriend's life." he said to Alan.  
  
"Just you watch me. You won't even know what hit you." Alan replied. He suddenly dove at Hugh's legs, knocking him to the ground. The stake slipped free of his grasp, and Corinne threw him off her. Once he was on the ground, she proceeded to kick him hard several times in the face. Alan sat on top of him. "Do you want the honors?" he asked Corinne.  
  
"No, be my guest." she said, gesturing to the boy's exposed neck. Alan proceeded to rip it apart.  
  
"I think he's dead now." Alan said, coming up with his face smeared with blood. They had started to drink when they heard Angel scream. Quinn had backed her up against a tree, and was preparing to stake her. Angel told herself she would at least go down fighting. She was preparing to leap when Quinn screamed in pain and clutched his leg. A small switchblade was stuck there, it's handle bearing the symbol of the Diablos, Alex's gang! Angel looked at Alex. His arm was still raised from when he had thrown the knife. He smiled weakly at her before collapsing from the pain. Quinn threw an evil glare at Angel before taking off into the woods.  
  
"This is far from over!" he yelled. Angel knew he wasn't kidding. Picking up Alex she called to the rest of her group. Alan and Corinne came up, helping Tyrna support Matt. John and Peter were nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Let's get out of here." Angel said. As fast as they could, they made their way back to Angel's house. John and Peter greeted them at the door. Neil had chased them into the woods before they lost him by climbing a few trees.  
  
"He apparently didn't have enough sense to look up." Peter said.  
  
"And thank goodness for that, or we wouldn't be standing here." John replied. They helped to put Alex on the couch and Matt on a small bed.  
  
"Now what do we do?" Tyrna asked, as she sat down next to Matt. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Alex just lay silent and still.  
  
"Now we come up with a plan to wipe those vermin out. No one hurts a Night Raider and lives to tell about it. We'll get them. Like Quinn said, it isn't over yet." Angel said, as her hands curled into a fist. Corinne and Alan hugged each other tight. John and Peter looked at each other and nodded grimly. Tyrna squeezed Matt's hand harder and he simply put his other hand on top of hers. Angel looked at the still form on the couch. They would avenge Angel's parent's deaths and they would have revenge for the injuries done to them tonight. This battle was far from over. 


	5. Stupidity reigns supreme...

Chapter 5  
  
Saturday night drifted by slowly. Alex never moved from his position on the couch. They were all afraid that he would die before the night was over, but the next morning he was still alive. The whole morning Angel sat brooding in a corner, vowing that those pitiful excuses for humans wouldn't live to see another sunrise. Corinne sat wishing that they had never accepted this challenge. Alan sat thinking about the fact that he could have lost Corinne last night. Matt lay on the bed, knowing that he should have seen it coming, being the oldest. Tyrna sat next to Matt, hoping that no other hunters were in town. Peter sat deciding how long he would torture that kid Neil for. John was trying to think about how he would explain this to his mom. He could just hear their conversation now. "John, my goodness! Why are you covered in blood and dirt?! Did you fall down?" she would ask.  
  
"No mom, I ran into some guy and he beat me up." John would say back.  
  
"Well who is he so I can report to the police about this?" would be her next question.  
  
"I doubt you'll find him mom. He's a Hunter and makes it his business not to be seen." he would reply.  
  
"A Hunter?! What does he hunt?" she would ask.  
  
"He hunts vampires." John would say seriously.  
  
"Vampires! There are no such creatures. And if there were, you certainly aren't one of them, right John? John? My God! You are a vampire! You're not my son, you're a demon! Get out of this house now!" she would scream at him. John would have to leave his family and go live alone, or with a lamia family. Or with Angel, but she might not let him do that. Sadly, he shook his head. They would either bring these guys down, or die trying.  
  
"I say we leave now and find Quinn. The sooner the better." Peter said suddenly.  
  
"Brilliant Peter. And while we're at it, let's just walk right into a safe house for Hunters." Corinne said, as she frowned at him.  
  
"We can't leave Alex and Matt alone. Not now. If some Hunter found them, they wouldn't stand a chance." Alan said.  
  
"Speaking of coming back, why didn't Quinn come back to your house if he knew where you lived?" John asked.  
  
"My uncle made it seem that someone else bought the house after my parents died," Angel replied.  
  
"Oh. Stupid question." said John.  
  
"Enough talking. I say we find Quinn now. Tyrna can stay here and look after those two. They're useless to us anyway." Peter said, as he folded his arms over his chest. Tyrna's face darkened as she stood up. She made her way over to Peter and looked him right in the eyes.  
  
"And who are you to start saying what we do? Do you lead this group, or have you forgotten how you got here? If John hadn't changed you, you'd still be a pitiful human. Now you're just a pitiful vampire." she said, her voice lowering to a whisper. Peter didn't realize she was very serious.  
  
"What would you know about leading a gang? Even when you knew you were lamia, you didn't do anything. Talk about pitiful, you're a disgrace to this Circle, and to your soulmate!" Peter shouted at her. This last part had a great effect on Tyrna. Her back went rigid and she turned around slowly to face him.  
  
"What did you say?" she asked, not believing that she heard him right.  
  
"I said you're a disgrace to us all. Do you think Matt really likes you? Of course not. He just has to because you're soulmates." Peter said. Before anyone else in the room could react, Matt had jumped off the bed and was in front of Peter. Angel knocked Peter to the ground with a kick to his knees.  
  
"Shut up, Peter! I never want to hear that from you again!" she yelled, anger in her voice.  
  
"And if you ever say that I don't love Tyrna again, I'll kill you. No one insults anyone in this group like that. Not Corinne, not Alan, and especially not my soulmate. Got it?" Matt said, as he stood over Peter. When Peter didn't reply, Matt gave up and stalked out of the room. Hissing at Peter, Tyrna ran after him.  
  
"Well that was just great. Insult his soulmate why don't you! I've never seen anybody act so stupid!" John said, as he hit Peter up the side of the head. When he looked to Corinne and Alan for support, they just gave him the evil eye. Peter went outside.  
  
"I don't believe he said that about those two. How could he be so mean?" Corinne asked.  
  
"I don't know, but Matt certainly wasn't going to let him get away with it. I've never seen my brother so mad before." Alan replied.  
  
"I hope he doesn't plan on doing that again. If he does, I think I'll let Matt rip him apart." Angel said.  
  
"Why? What happened?" came a weak voice. They all turned to see Alex with his eyes open.  
  
"Alex, you're alive!" Angel shrieked, as Matt and Tyrna came into the room. "Look guys, Alex is awa-" she started to say.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tyrna asked.  
  
"I'm not going to ask because I don't want to know." came Angel's simple reply.  
  
"Ask about what?" asked Matt.  
  
"Why Tyrna's hair is all messed up." Corinne and Alan saw what she was talking about and burst out laughing. Matt blushed, and Tyrna nervously straightened her hair out. Neither of them offered an excuse, which only made Corinne and Alan laugh harder.  
  
"Long live sugar!" Alan yelled, as Corinne wacked him upside the head. It was a well known fact that Alan knew exactly what this phrase meant.  
  
"Whatever." came Matt's reply.  
  
"Anyway. I think we were talking about the fact that I woke up." Alex said.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Angel asked.  
  
"Like someone drove a stake into my chest. But besides that, I'm fine." he replied, cracking a smile. Just then, John burst into the room.  
  
"Guys I have really bad news. Oh hi, Alex." he said.  
  
"What's wrong, John?" Corinne asked.  
  
"Peter's gone, the gate is open, and he left us a one-word note telling us where to find him." John handed them a piece of wood. On it was carved a single word. It read: Quinn.  
  
"Great. That stupid idiot is going to get himself killed. And don't tell me to sit down because I'm going with you." Alex said, as he started to sit up. Unfortunately, the pain hit him and he sank back down. "Okay. Maybe I'll stay here instead." he said sheepishly. The others ran out the door and took off down the street. With any luck they would find Peter before Quinn found him. The battle might have to start a little earlier then expected, and not one of them liked that idea. 


	6. Add one more character and another twist...

Chapter 6  
  
Even though they ran fast, no one saw Peter. "Where could he have disappeared to?" Angel asked, growing increasingly worried.  
  
"He could have found Quinn and tailed him. In which case we wouldn't be able to find him." John said.  
  
"Or Quinn could have found him. In which case there wouldn't be enough left to find Peter." Matt said grimly.  
  
"We have to find him before one of the Hunters does. Because where there are four Hunters..." Corinne said with a shrug.  
  
"There are usually more." Alan finished. Alan and Matt had dealt once before with vampire Hunters, but those two boys had only been amateurs. These guys were much more experienced.  
  
"If we don't find Peter, I hope Quinn doesn't torture him." Tyrna said. The entire group turned to look at her.  
  
"What do you mean torture? Quinn will just kill him, that's all." Angel said. Tyrna just shook her head.  
  
"My parents got a call from some relatives up in Boston. They said that a gang of vampire Hunters had passed through the area. The Hunters tortured the vampires that they caught. Then all of a sudden, they left town. This was about a month ago." she replied.  
  
"That would give them enough time to hear about another vampire group, grab their stuff, and get here." Corinne said, putting the pieces together.  
  
"Then how did they find out about us?" John asked.  
  
"Could be a witch organization that wanted any vampires in this area destroyed." Matt said.  
  
"I doubt it was witches, they don't bother with us. And it certainly wasn't Circle Daybreak. No matter how annoying those pacifists are, they wouldn't want to kill us." Angel said, as the others nodded.  
  
"Then how did they know we were vampires?" John asked.  
  
"They could have known by the way we move. They're experienced enough that they probably could tell that way." Alan said.  
  
"But we could have been with Circle Daybreak for all they knew. No, they had to know what we were or they would have studied us first." said Corinne. None of this made sense. Just then a rustling sound in an alley made them go silent.  
  
"On three we carefully make our way in there. Watch yourselves, it might be a trap. One. Two. Three!" Angel said, as they moved into the alley. A small form caught their attention and they hauled the girl to her feet.  
  
"Don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me!" she yelled, as they dragged her into the light. Her long, shimmering, blonde hair hung around her face. Her blue eyes were frightened as she looked at her captors.  
  
"Who are you, and what are you doing spying on us?" Tyrna asked.  
  
"My name is Katarina Vatavitch. I come from Circle Daybreak to warn you." Katarina said.  
  
"Vatavitch? You're a witch then?" Matt asked.  
  
"Yes, I am." she replied.  
  
"Warn us about what?" Corinne asked.  
  
"About the vampire Hunters. They're very dangerous. They're not just regular Hunters, they're mercenaries!" said Katarina, her voice rising more frantically.  
  
"Mercenaries! That would explain why they knew who we were. Someone paid them to eliminate us." Alan said. The pieces were starting to fall into place.  
  
"Do you know who paid them?" Angel asked. Katarina just shook her head.  
  
"I can show you where they are though. Come on!" she said, taking off down the street. The Night Raiders followed. Soon they came to an abandoned warehouse.  
  
"Typical comic-book bad-guys. Why is it that all villains have to hide in abandoned warehouses?" John asked. The others just shook their heads.  
  
"Hey guys! Over here. Look through the window." Corinne said. They all looked through the dust-covered window. Inside was Quinn and another dozen Hunters. Tied to a wooden chair was... Peter!  
  
"They got him. Now what?" Tyrna asked. Suddenly, someone else entered the room. It was a young boy of no more than twelve. John gasped.  
  
"What's wrong?" Angel asked.  
  
"I know that kid." he replied.  
  
"Well, who is it?" asked Matt.  
  
"It's Doug. Peter's little brother. The others looked at each other in astonishment. If Peter's little brother had found and hired Quinn, then they were dealing with not only family betrayal, but someone who had killed vampires before. Because it is a well known fact that not only do Hunters not advertise their existence, they will only go to a town where another Hunter already is. This war was getting more and more interesting every minute. 


	7. MORE Soulmates?

Disclaimer: I didn't state this before, but the Soulmate Principle belongs to L.J. Smith.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"What are we going to do? We can't just rush in there and take Peter back. They'd kill us." Matt said, as he fell against the side of the building. His good hand took hold of the sling on his other arm.  
  
"Don't worry Matt, we'll think of something." Tyrna said, as she bent down next to him.  
  
"Tyrna, what can we do? They have him surrounded and it's his little brother for crying out loud!" Alan said.  
  
"We can't just leave him in there, they'll kill him!" said John.  
  
"And why should we stop them? You know yourself he's been nothing but trouble since he first came into the Circle. And what about this morning? He doesn't follow our rules, so why should we risk our lives for him?" Angel asked.  
  
"I'd take Alex over him any day." said Corinne, as she turned away from the window.  
  
"You can't just leave him in there! He's one of you!" Katarina said, not believing what she was hearing.  
  
"He's one of us, but he never helped us a day in his life. He only likes being a vampire because it makes him so strong. He has no responsibilities to the group, so why should we have a responsibility to him?" Alan asked.  
  
"He never stuck around when a problem arose." Tyrna pointed out.  
  
"And he was always causing problems." Matt added.  
  
"No matter what he's done to you, you can't leave him to suffer at the hands of that man!" Katarina said.  
  
"Isn't that just like all damn Daybreakers! A little love and kindness and the problem is fixed. It doesn't work that way." Angel told her.  
  
"Then if you won't save him, I will!" Katarina replied. But before she could take two steps, Angel caught her around the waist.  
  
"Let's bring her home and explain to her about how it works around  
  
here." Angel said, as she lifted Katarina off her feet and began walking. This little witch would have to learn a few things before she took on Quinn. And the Night Raiders were just the right ones to teach her. * * *  
  
"Let me go! Let me go!" Katarina screamed as the group walked in the front door of the house.  
  
"Fine. I'll put you down." Angel said, as she dropped her on the floor. She landed with a THUD! and sent the vampire a dark look.  
  
"What is all that racket? I'm trying to recuperate in here!" came Alex's voice.  
  
"Who is that?" Katarina asked, looking around for the owner of the voice.  
  
"He's in the living room. Go and see him. He could use your company." Corinne said, as she gently pushed the girl into the room. Katarina stopped short. Before her eyes was a handsome young vampire. His blonde hair was disheveled and his blue eyes were full of pain. His tan shirt was covered in blood, his blood. A hole was in the center of his chest and looked like a stake had been the cause of it. Katarina smiled shyly when Alex smiled at her.  
  
"Hey. Someone to talk to besides those dead people." Alex said.  
  
"Alex, if you want to live to see Quinn dead, I suggest you cut with any jokes. Dead or un-dead." Angel retorted from the other room. Resounding laughter came from the others .  
  
"They are so mean." said Katarina.  
  
"You don't know the half of it." replied Alex. He motioned with his arm for her to sit down. She down timidly on the other side of the couch. "I won't bite, I swear." he said, as she moved closer to him.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just that I've never been this close to a vampire who kills for fun." Katarina said. There was a certain bite to her words. Alex flinched.  
  
"It's not like I'm the only one. And we don't just "kill for fun". Yeah, killing humans can be fun, but we only go after gangs. We only occasionally bring down innocents, and we never kill them if we do." Alex said, as he looked deep into her eyes. Katarina looked into them and saw a young boy who couldn't help what he was. She also saw that he was telling the truth. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small package. Inside was what looked like old, dead leaves.  
  
"These are halifax leaves. They'll help your wound to heal faster. Combined with your regular healing ability, you should be up and about in a week or three." she said, handing him the package. "Just put a handful of leaves in a cup of tea and drink it." she finished. Alex took the bag and put it on the table beside him.  
  
"Hey Katarina, thanks." he said, smiling at her.  
  
"Call me Kat. It's easier." Kat replied.  
  
"Okay Kat. Thanks for helping those guys and me." Alex said, as he took her hand. Suddenly, a bolt of electricity surged through their fingers. A pink haze formed in front of their eyes, and they began to drift towards each other.  
  
'What's going on!?' Kat cried out with her mind. Alex calmly answered her question telepathically.  
  
'I think you and I are experiencing what others call the soulmate principle.' he said, as confused as she was.  
  
'Soulmates! You and I can't be soulmates. I'm a witch and you're a vampire! It wouldn't work!' she said.  
  
'Apparently the higher powers think it will. Can't you just try? Please?' Alex asked, almost pleading with her. Kat gave in.  
  
'All right. It couldn't hurt. Besides, you are kind of cute.' she said, before she realized what she was saying.  
  
'And you're real pretty.' Alex replied, smiling. Then he let go of her hand. The pink haze faded and the electricity ceased to flow between them. Kat turned around to find the rest of the Night Raiders watching them.  
  
"Umm. Not that's it's any of our business, but what were you two doing?" Alan asked, looking from Alex to Kat and back again.  
  
"We were just experiencing what it's like when you two touch each other." Alex calmly replied. Angel appeared startled and Alan looked questioningly at them. Corinne whispered something to him and he smiled to himself. Tyrna and Matt just looked knowingly at each other. Kat simply blushed. John looked bored.  
  
"So Alex, you finally found a girl who could love you even if you are lousy, rotten-"Corinne started to say.  
  
"Corinne, there are other women present. Don't go there."Matt said.  
  
"Women, what women? I don't see any women." Alan said, as he pretended to search for some. Corinne, Angel, and Tyrna, all wacked him upside the head. "Thank you. I needed that." he replied, flashing his large grin at them. Everyone groaned.  
  
"Listen, I don't mean to be impolite, but we still have to get Peter out of that warehouse and away from Quinn." John said, as the group looked at him.  
  
"John's right. We can't leave him there. Even if he is a pain in the- " Tyrna started.  
  
"Ahem." Matt said, looking playfully at her. Tyrna rolled her eyes.  
  
"A pain in the butt."she finished looking at Matt. He merely smiled at her.  
  
"And just how do you plan on getting him out of his present situation?" Corinne asked, fixing her gaze on John. He shifted nervously under her stare.  
  
"I thought Kat could cook up some spell and kill them or something." he replied with a shrug. Kat and Angel shot him an excuse me, what did  
  
you say? glance.  
  
"First things first, I can't just "cook up" any old spell. I'd need others to help me. Secondly, my abilities are not to be used to hurt or kill people. Thirdly-" Kat said.  
  
"It's against Circle Daybreak Laws for her to hurt humans or Night Worlders." Angel finished for her.  
  
"What about self-defense? Aren't you allowed to protect yourself from harm?" Tyrna asked, puzzled that this pacifist group didn't do any fighting.  
  
"If my life is in danger, I can use any means necessary to get away. But I'm not supposed to hurt or kill anyone. It's a Law." replied Kat.  
  
"Even if Circle Daybreak allowed hurting or killing, the Three-Fold Law prevents her from doing anything."Angel said.  
  
"The three-what Law?" Alan asked, confused.  
  
"The Three-Fold Law. It says that whatever you do comes back to you three times over, be it good or bad." Tyrna replied, looking pleased about knowing this fact.  
  
"How do you guys know so much about witches?" Alex asked.  
  
"Oh. We get around." Corinne said, as she, Angel, and Tyrna smiled.  
  
"Fine. So we can't use Kat to help Peter. What now?" John asked, growing increasingly impatient.  
  
"We come up with a strategy. We use our brains for once." Matt said.  
  
"Oh sure. Mr.Wizard over here is telling us to think." said Alex.  
  
"Maybe if you actually went to school like the rest of us, you'd learn something." Matt retorted angrily.  
  
"Hey. I go when I feel like it. You got a problem with that?" Alex asked, as his hands curled into fists. Tyrna saw the move and stepped between them.  
  
"That's enough, you two! Goddess you sometimes make me think you're children and not teenagers." she said angrily. Alex dropped his fists and Matt looked upset.  
  
"I'm sorry, Tyrna." he said quietly, as he looked down at the floor. When she tilted his face up he had on a sad-puppy expression. Tyrna couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"You always do that! You know that I can't stay mad at you for very long! You're mean!" she said to him, with a big smile on her face.  
  
"I'm not mean, I'm Matt." he said. Tyrna raised her hand as if to strike him, and he cringed. Instead she brought her hand down lightly on his head.  
  
"Tag, you're it!" she yelled, racing out of the room. Matt ran out after her.  
  
"Strange, strange children." said Corinne and Alan at the same time.  
  
"Hey. Stop that. Quit copying me! Don't do that! Meanie!" they both said at the same time again. They were going to do it again when Angel clapped her hand over Corinne's mouth. Corinne and Alan laughed, and stopped speaking at the same time. Tyrna and Matt raced into the room. John caught Tyrna around the waist and held on. She proceeded to flip him over. Matt and the others laughed until he got up.  
  
"This group will now come to order! Or do I have to get the frying pan?" Angel asked. The group immediately quieted down. "That's much better. Now then. Kat can stay here with Alex and the rest of us will try and get Peter." she said.  
  
"Kat and I are coming with you." Alex replied, rising off the couch. He took a few shaky steps, but motioned to everyone that he was fine.  
  
"Kat, you had better take a weapon." Alan said, as Corinne handed her a stake. The others each took other various weapons. Corinne and Angel sheathed their swords, while Alan and Alex grabbed stakes. Tyrna took her quarter staff, with it's sharpened ends. Matt grabbed a long spear with a silver tip. John took a silver dagger.  
  
"Just in case." he said, when everyone sent him questioning looks. The group headed for the warehouse, and Kat was secretly hoping she wouldn't be forced to use the stake she clutched tightly in her hand. 


	8. Finally, some action!

Chapter 8  
  
The Night Raiders made good time, even though they had to wait for Alex and Kat to catch up. "Tsk, tsk. How do ever expect to beat me if you run so slow?" Alan asked, purposely teasing Alex.  
  
"In case you hadn't realized, I have a large hole in my chest." Alex replied.  
  
"Excuses, excuses." Alan said. Alex took a step forward and Corinne did the same.  
  
"Alan and Katarina, please restrain your soulmates." Angel said, as Kat put her hand on Alex's shoulder. He stepped back and Corinne followed his example.  
  
"Now what?" John asked, as he looked around. All the doors probably had inside guards. Any windows would be locked. There would be at least a half-dozen Hunters inside. Any others would be patrolling the streets.  
  
"We find a way in." Angel said.  
  
"That's a good idea. We'll pair off. Alan and I will take the west wall.  
  
Alex and Katarina can take the east wall. Tyrna and Matt can go south, and Angel and John can hit the front." Corinne said. The others nodded in agreement. On cat-silent feet they made their way around the building. Angel suddenly stopped short.  
  
"What's wrong?" John asked, as his muscles tensed up.  
  
"There are two guards near that door. Do you think you can kill one of them silently while I get the other?" Angel asked, as John looked at the door.  
  
Two boys no older than sixteen stood there gazing around. They would listen if they heard a sound, and only relax if they knew it was innocent.  
  
"Piece of cake." John calmly replied, even though his heart was hammering in his chest. It was so loud that Angel turned to look at him.  
  
"Sshh! You're making too much noise!" she whispered, as she began to creep up on the guards. John followed her, his heart still pounding. Without a sound Angel leaped a full five feet in the air, and came down on one of the boys. Before the other one could scream, John had snuck up behind him and twisted his neck. A snap was heard and the boy fell down dead. Angel strangled the other one, slowly. She stood up and dusted off her hands noiselessly. "We'll save them for later. Right now we have to get Peter." she said, as she opened the door. John followed her into the pitch- black room.  
  
Alan and Corinne were waiting for two guards on patrol to pass them. A boy and girl were walking around with knives in their hands. Corinne just shook her head. "They should know better than that. I mean, knives? Come on!" she whispered to Alan, who laughed silently. Suddenly he tensed up. The guards were drawing closer. They waited a few more seconds, then jumped. Alan hit the boy on his back, and sent the stake right through his heart. The guard gasped, and fell dead to the pavement. Corinne's guard tried to slash her, but Corinne unsheathed her sword and slit the girl's throat. Blood gushed up, and the girl fell writhing to the ground. After a few minutes, she was dead.  
  
"You didn't chop off her head!" Alan whispered. Corinne just looked at him.  
  
"This isn't Highlander, you know. Come on, let's get in there and find the others." she replied, as they entered a door. The hall stretched out before them in infinite darkness. They walked in anyway.  
  
Alex and Kat had found two more guards. Both of the girls had proceeded to jump on Alex. Kat pulled one off, but then let her go. Alex staked the other one. When the second girl ran away, Alex leaped on her back and staked her through her lungs. Kat stood motionless, watching the gruesome spectacle. "You know, you can kill these guys. They're nothing but vermin." Alex said. Kat just shook her head.  
  
"You know I can't do that." she replied. Alex shrugged and crawled under a metal loading door. Kat silently followed him.  
  
Tyrna and Matt sat on a lamp post not far from two other guards. This boy and girl were smoking, and not paying any attention to their surroundings. "They must be new. Experienced Hunters always watch for danger." Matt said. Tyrna nodded in agreement.  
  
"What do you say about giving them a little wake-up call?" she asked, an evil smile on her lips.  
  
"I say sure, why not?" Matt replied. They silently counted to three, and then jumped. Tyrna's quarter staff flashed in front of her, making a clean slice in the girl's chest. Tyrna then proceeded to impale the girl's chest on her staff. When the girl was dead, she pushed her off the staff and onto the ground. Matt in the meantime, had jumped on top of the boy. He shoved his spear through the boy's abdomen. Blood dripped onto the ground as the boy gasped once, and lay dead. Matt picked up the still lit cigarette. "I always said that smoking would one day kill a person." he said, as he ground the butt under his shoe. He and Tyrna ran to a small doorway. They crept into the dark hallway, looking for the others. The whole group was now inside. All they had to do now, was find Peter.  
  
* * *  
  
Peter was not having any luck getting out of his bindings. Not only was he tied to a wooden chair, the rope used on him was hemp. "Just my luck. Hemp is derived from wood. This is just great!" he muttered to himself. He had already tried to wiggle out of the ropes, but only succeeded in raising red welts and blisters on his wrists. He was about to give up when he saw a shadow move past him. In another minute, a hand clamped over his mouth. He bit down hard into it. The next thing he knew, he was staring up at Angel's very angry face, her stinging slap still on his cheek.  
  
"You ungrateful little..." she said, as she proceeded to tell him exactly what he was.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Angel." he replied. She merely glared at him. John then came up behind her. After whispering something to her, they both melted back into the shadows. Peter was puzzled. Weren't they going to save him? Then he heard footsteps in the hall. Quinn appeared and kneeled down next to him.  
  
"Your friends are either very brave, or very stupid. They've killed a few of my guards, but forgot to hide the bodies! Oh well, no matter. We'll find them soon enough." he said, as he stood up and walked away. Suddenly Peter was startled to hear voices in his head! He listened to their conversation quietly.  
  
'We didn't hide the bodies! I knew we forgot something!' said a male voice.  
  
'Just calm down, they would've known we were here eventually anyway.' replied a female voice.  
  
'Yeah, eventually. I would have preferred to wait a little while. Now we're going to have to rush the plan!' came another female voice.  
  
'Who are you?! Where are you?!' Peter asked with his mind.  
  
'Oh. Hi ya Peter! We were just arguing over whose fault it is that they know we're here.' came a male voice.  
  
'John? Is that you?' asked Peter.  
  
'You better believe it. Did you forget that we can talk telepathically? It's a whole lot easier than speaking out loud.' John replied.  
  
'And it's a lot quieter.' came Tyrna's voice.  
  
'So now what do we do?' Peter asked.  
  
'We get the hunters, free you, and take care of your little brother.' said Angel.  
  
'Leave Doug to me.' Peter replied, his voice growing icy.  
  
'That's fine with me. Hey Angel, you want Quinn?' Alan asked.  
  
'Yes.' Angel said, as her voice dropped to a whisper.  
  
'Then it's agreed. When Angel gives the signal, we attack.' Matt said. Even though Peter couldn't see the others, he sensed that they were nodding in agreement. Then footsteps sounded in the hall. Quinn was coming back, and he had company. The entire group, including Peter smiled, all of them showing their fangs. This was what they had been waiting for. The ultimate fight-to-the-death battle was about to begin. 


	9. Fight fight fight!

Chapter 9  
  
Quinn and his followers stopped just inside the room. A small flash of light indicated that someone had lit a lantern. It gave off a small, dismal glow, but gave the Hunters the ability to see a bit better. "We can't find the others anywhere, Quinn." said a young girl.  
  
"They have to be around here somewhere. They wouldn't kill all those guards and then just leave." Quinn replied.  
  
'He don't know us vewy well, do he?' Corinne silently asked the group. Silent snickers echoed through her mind as the group laughed at her joke.  
  
"How do you know? For all we know they could be back at their safehaven performing satanic rituals." Doug said.  
  
'Satanic rituals? Please.' Angel said.  
  
'Yeah. We're doing them in the woods, and Corinne has the sword!' Tyrna said, as the group laughed silently again. They became very serious though, when Quinn and Doug stepped into the light. Quinn looked like a regular human, but Doug was... He was a... A... A WEREWOLF!!  
  
'Goddess! He's a wolf!' Kat said silently to Alex. He merely nodded. The other Night Raiders were in similar shock.  
  
'Good thing I grabbed that silver dagger.' John said to Angel, who simply nodded. There was no way that this kid was a born wolf. He must have been bit by one. Suddenly it all made sense. He had probably been told that he was bitten by a vampire and that he accidentally turned into a wolf. Of course no one with half a brain would believe that story, but then again, this was Peter's brother they were talking about.  
  
"So big brother, we meet again. But this time, being a vampire won't save you. You see, I came prepared." Doug said. He held up a stake made from rosewood. It's end was very sharp. Sharp enough to pierce vampire flesh easily. As Doug advanced on Peter, Angel heard him yelling at her with his mind.  
  
'If you guys want to attack, now would be a real good time!' he yelled. Angel agreed.  
  
"ATTACK!!" she screamed out loud, as Doug halted from killing his brother. Seemingly from nowhere, the Night Raiders appeared. Quinn's people met their attack, and the fight was on.  
  
Alan and Corinne were up against two wrestlers. "Just my luck, stuck with the slow, stupid ones!" Alan said, as the boys charged. But Alan and Corinne were ready. Alan's stake came down hard on the guy's neck. Hitting his spine, Alan pushed harder. The resounding CRACK! was deafening. Corinne slipped in a water puddle and hit the floor. Her guy grabbed Alan and staked his leg. As he screamed in agony, Corinne was up and on the guy. She plunged her sword all the way through his heart. She steadied Alan and yelled a victory cheer.  
  
'Damn vermin! Damn them straight to hell!' she thought.  
  
Tyrna and Matt were enjoying themselves. Their two girls were afraid to get near them. One girl finally lunged at them. Tyrna smiled as she spun the girl's arm until it broke. Unfortunately, the other girl saw that Matt had a sling on. She aimed a roundhouse kick right at his shoulder. He caught her foot, but not before she kicked his shoulder. Using his good hand he sent the spear directly through her body. She was dead within seconds. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Tyrna. Her shirt was ripped, and she had a long cut running across her forehead, but she looked happy. "Stupid human." she said, as she kicked the dead girl.  
  
"Tell me about it." he replied, as he wiped the blood off her face.  
  
John and Angel were up against Quinn and a very experienced Hunter. Rachel was proving most difficult to John. She would duck, dodge, punch, and kick. John finally got her in a choke hold. He used the dagger as a holder to choke her out. When she was unconscious, he plunged the dagger through her heart. When Quinn saw what happened, he flew into a rage. He tackled John and sent the dagger spinning across the floor. Peter used his feet to scoop it up into his hand. No one was watching, so he cut the ropes that bound him. Angel in the meantime, had jumped on top of Quinn and pulled him off John. Except for a gash in his back, he looked fine. Quinn threw Angel off of him and grabbed a stake. "It's time I finished what I started when I killed your parents!" he yelled at her. She merely smiled at him.  
  
"Go ahead, take your best shot." she said, as she spread her arms wide. Quinn came in and she reacted. Her left arm shot out, and wrenched the stake free from his hand. It fell to the ground. Both of them dived for it, but Quinn got there first. He was on top of Angel, the stake to her throat.  
  
"Now little vampire, it ends." he said calmly. But before he could use the weapon, Angel had brought her hand down hard on the knife wound Alex had made. Quinn clutched his leg and yelled in pain. Angel used that moment to take control of the stake and get on top of him.  
  
"One thing I like about stakes. They're just as useful on the vampire Hunters as they are on the vampires." she said. As soon as she said this, she brought the stake down hard. It went easily into his heart. Quinn shuddered once, then lay dead. "Finally my parents, you are avenged." Angel said softly, as she gazed at the sky. A twinkling of stars answered her prayer. Angel smiled warmly for the first time in three years.  
  
Alex and Kat were both in deep trouble. The boy and girl they were fighting were very experienced. Alex was able to stake the girl with a few problems, but Kat helped by tripping her up. The boy was a different story. He grabbed Kat and flung her aside. When Alex went to help her, the boy kicked him where he had been staked before. Alex screamed in agony, and went down. The boy, who was Quinn's second, smiled as he moved in for the kill. Suddenly he heard a shrieking sound. Covering his ears, he looked around for the cause of the noise. The Night Raiders also heard the screaming. "What is that ungodly racket?" Corinne yelled above the sound. Tyrna pointed to a figure silhouetted against the pale glow of the moon.  
  
"Don't look now, but I think Kat is very mad." she said softly. Angel shuddered. Even a Daybreaker witch was not someone you would want to get mad. This should prove to be an interesting situation. 


	10. Never piss off a witch, or a wolf...

Chapter 10  
  
"You stinkin' b*stard! You're going to pay for that!" she screamed, her eyes narrowing into slits.  
  
"And what are you going to do? Sprinkle flowers on me. You witches are such jokes!" the boy, Ralph, said.  
  
"A joke? A joke?! I'll show you a joke! Take that, you filthy human trash!" Kat yelled, as a bolt of lightning shot from her fingers and hit him full force. He flew against the wall and lay stunned. Getting up, he aimed a punch to her face. She did a back flip and landed unharmed.  
  
"Stand still so I can kill you!" Ralph yelled. Kat simply smiled at him.  
  
"Come over here and make me, Hunter." she said, taunting him. He charged at her. Then she did something strange. Kat threw the stake away!  
  
"Now you're mine!" said Ralph, smiling.  
  
"I don't think so." she said, as her voice dropped to a whisper. She stood stone still and so did Ralph, as he tried to figure out what she was doing. He realized to late. Without warning, her arms were over her head and a fireball came streaking towards him. He screamed once, and then there was nothing but ashes were he had stood. Kat smiled, but then crumpled to the floor, crying. Alex crawled over to her.  
  
"Sh. It's all right. He's dead and I'm fine. You did what had to be done." he said, as she cried into his shoulder.  
  
"But I killed him! I wasn't supposed to do that! Even if the fighting wing of the Circle taught me a few things, I never thought I'd use them!" she said between sobs.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Alex replied.  
  
"Alex, I have to ask you a favor." Kat said.  
  
"Anything. Just ask." he said.  
  
"Make me a vampire. I want to be with you forever. And I'll be able to do it if I'm one of you. I'm an orphan and I have nowhere else to go." she said. Alex looked startled.  
  
"Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked her. Kat nodded her head yes. "Okay. We'll start after we get home." he finished, teasing her. She smiled at him and he smiled back. It was then that they heard it. A primeval yell that echoed off the walls. The entire group turned to see Peter brandishing the silver dagger in front of a large, snarling wolf! Peter was going to fight his own brother.  
  
"All of you stay back! This is between me and him!" Peter said, as he pointed at the wolf. The wolf merely howled, a chilling sound that made even Angel shudder slightly. The Night Raiders would watch this horrible fight between two brothers. A fight where only one would win. The winner survived, and the loser.... Was dogmeat.  
  
* * *  
  
"Come on, Doug. Give me your best shot!" Peter taunted. Doug stayed where he was. "What's wrong little brother, afraid I'll kick your tail." Peter said again. Then he stopped talking. Doug was changing back to a human.  
  
When he was fully changed, he spoke to Peter.  
  
"It's your fault I'm stuck like this! You bit me and didn't bother to make me drink your blood! Now I'm stuck as a wolf!" Doug shouted.  
  
"Doug, even an idiot would know that a vampire can't bite someone and "accidentally" make them a werewolf. How could you believe that? Did Quinn tell you that?" Peter asked, somewhat surprised at his brother's stupidity.  
  
"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" Doug replied, as he began to change again. Soon he was once again a wolf. His eyes glowed a deep red, and his fangs glistened in the pale light. John was going to help Peter when Angel pulled him back.  
  
"No! He has the dagger. Let him do it." she hissed at him. John gave a helpless shrug and watched the fight unfold. Peter had backed Doug into a corner. Doug was growling at him like a mad dog. A very big mad dog. Suddenly, Doug leaped onto a platform and then jumped behind Peter. Peter spun around, but not fast enough. Doug was on top of him, biting, ripping, and slashing his brother. Peter forgot that he was a vampire for a moment and started screaming in fear.  
  
"You're a vampire, Peter! Use your abilities!" Matt yelled to him.  
  
"Use the dagger! The dagger, Peter!" Tyrna said.  
  
"He's a wolf, kill him!" Corinne screamed.  
  
"Get him before he gets you!" said Alan.  
  
"I'll try!" came Peter's reply. Angel had had enough.  
  
"You worthless vermin! If you don't kill that wolf right now, I'll stake you before he even gets a chance to rip you apart! MOVE IT!" she screamed at him. Her words did not fall on deaf ears. In a move that surprised everyone, Peter rolled backwards and kicked Doug off him. Picking up the dagger, he advanced upon the snarling wolf. In a last desperate attempt to kill Peter, Doug leaped for his throat. Peter waited, and then drove the dagger to the hilt in his brother's chest. Doug fell wimpering to the ground. Peter knelt beside him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Doug. I didn't want it to end like this. But I want you to know something. I never bit you. I wanted to but never did. But then, you never did listen to me when I told you something. Can you forgive me?" Peter asked. Doug nodded, his large head half-raised. Then he gave one last shudder, and died. Peter stood and picked up his little brother. Carrying him outside, Peter started to cry softly. He would find his brother in his next life, and make sure the same thing didn't happen again. The Night Raiders watched as he buried his brother under a pile of leaves.  
  
"Angel, what do you want us to do with the warehouse?" John asked.  
  
"Burn it to the ground, but bring along a few "snacks" for later." Angel said. A few hours later they were watching the news report about a three-alarm fire in the warehouse district. Smiling to themselves, they waited for the parents to come get them. The night was cool, and their spirits were high. 


	11. It's finally OVER

Epilogue  
  
It was a week later, and the group was celebrating not only Kat's induction to the group, but Tyrna's birthday as well. "So tell me, Tyrna. How many times are you going to turn sixteen?" Alex asked.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Next year I'll turn seventeen, how's that?" Tyrna replied.  
  
"Looks like I better start getting a year older, or else you'll be my age soon." Matt said playfully.  
  
"What's wrong with her being your age?" Corinne asked, wanting to hear how stupid this answer would be.  
  
"He wants to still be able to control her when she gets older." Alan said. Tyrna and Corinne shot him excuse me? looks.  
  
"Trust me, Alan. I think Tyrna can more then handle herself and Matt." Angel said, as the boys laughed, and Matt and Tyrna blushed.  
  
"When is your birthday, Kat?" John asked.  
  
"Not for a little while." she said, cuddling up to Alex. He smiled and put his hand around her waist. Alan just shook his head.  
  
"Soulm-" he started to say, but stopped when Tyrna, Corinne, and Kat sent him just try and say it looks. He decided not to say anything.  
  
"Isn't it great that the whole gang is together again." Peter said, as the others nodded. It had been a trying time, but they had stuck by each other and got through it.  
  
"I propose a toast. I found my parents' "special drinks" cabinet. Tastes very good at 98.6 degrees." Angel said, as she poured the red liquid into their glasses.  
  
"To new hunts" said John and Peter.  
  
"To new members." said Alex.  
  
"To soulmates." said Kat.  
  
"To friends." said Tyrna and Matt.  
  
"To new adventures." said Alan and Corinne.  
  
"To us. May we eat, drink and be merry until such time as we rule the humans again." Angel said. The others clinked their glasses against hers.  
  
"To us!" they all chorused.  
  
  
  
  
  
Far away in the night, a wolf howled. Other calls answered it, until the low melody resembled a haunting song. Fires burned bright as witches conducted their Samhain ceremonies. Shape-shifters wandered the streets, looking like ordinary animals. Ghouls walked the back alleys and scared young teens. Vampires, including the Night Raiders, walked the area looking for a feast. It was Halloween, and the Night Worlders were out and about enjoying the festivities.  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: Damn, that was longer than I expected. Ah well, anyone up for more adventures? I got a few more stories that involve the Night Raiders and some of their friends. 


End file.
